INGREDIENTS:
(for Topping)
½ medium pineapple, peeled, quartered lengthwise and cored
¾ stick unsalted butter
¾ cup packed light brown sugar
Maraschino cherries, cut into halves (for garnish)
(for Batter)
1 ½ cups all-purpose flour
2 teaspoons baking powder
¼ teaspoon salt
¾ stick unsalted butter, softened
1 cup granulated sugar
2 large eggs
1 teaspoon vanilla
½ cup unsweetened pineapple juice
Directions: Preheat oven to 350°F. To make
topping: cut pineapple crosswise into 3/8-inch-thick pieces. Shred the
pineapple sliced with your fingers to a similar consistency of crushed
pineapple. Melt butter in skillet. Add brown sugar and simmer over moderate
heat, stirring, 4 minutes. Remove from heat. Now place muffin liners in muffin
tins. In the mini muffin tins, place roughly one teaspoon of the butter and
brown sugar mixture in each liner, just so the bottom of the liner is coated.
Place the shredded pineapple on top of sugar mixture making sure not to mix the
butter-sugar mixture and the pineapple together. To make batter: sift together
the flour, baking powder and salt. Beat butter in a large bowl with an electric
mixer until light and fluffy, then gradually beat in the granulated sugar. Add
eggs, 1 at a time, beating well after each addition. Now beat in the vanilla.
Add half of the flour mixture and beat on low speed just until blended. Beat in
pineapple juice, then add the remaining flour mixture, beating just until
blended. The batter may appear slightly curdled. Don’t worry it’s
normal. Spoon the batter over the pineapple topping in muffin tins making sure
that you do not fill each liner entirely. The cake expands. Bake in middle of
the oven until golden and a tester comes out clean, around 15 to 20
minutes. Let cakes cool in pan. Turn the Mini-Pineapple Upside Down Cakes
upside down and peel the liner off carefully. Place each Mini-Pineapple Upside
Down Cake on a plate and garnish with the halved maraschino cherries. Serve
cake warm. ~ Chef ~
